Changing to a Raw Diet FAQ
Information on how to change for both adult and puppy dogs.
There are many different theories on how to switch an adult dog to raw foods. No one way is the "right" way. Be sensitive to your dog's digestive needs and situation, and do what works best for you both.
The way that has worked best for me has been to simply make the switch cold turkey (pun intended! LOL). There have been long discussions about the possible problems involved with combining kibble and raw, with the theory being that because raw foods and dry foods digest at different rates, combining them may set your dog up for digestive issues such as diarrhea or vomiting. For this reason, I prefer to just make the switch completely, all at once.
Start simple. Chicken is the cheapest and most easily accessible meat to start with. You can find chicken wings at any grocery store or butcher shop, although the price is a bit high for the amount of food/meat you get. But they're still an easy source to start with. You can also try chicken backs or necks to start with, although I wouldn't recommend leg quarters or thighs as the bones are weight-bearing in nature and therefore harder and more difficult to digest. You want to start with something easily digestible. You can also start with pre-ground raw foods that include meat, bone, organs and veggies all in one. All are a nice, simple choice for a beginner dog.
When it's time to switch, it is often a good idea to fast your dog for a meal, or at the very least, be sure that he hasn't had access to food in at least 8 hours or so. A hungry dog is typically more willing to try a new food than a dog who just ate 5 minutes ago. Whether you offer the dog the new raw foods in his dish or by hand is your choice. I prefer to hand feed at first, if using whole pieces. This prevents the dog from simply swallowing the chicken wing whole. By holding onto one end of the wing, the dog must learn to chew, and chew well, before I give up the food and they can finish eating and swallowing. This is particularly helpful if you have a dog who is a "gulper" - one who prefers to inhale his food in less than 10 seconds.
If your dog shows no interest in eating raw foods, there are a few tricks you can try to entice him to eat. First and foremost - parmesan cheese. The grated kind you typically put on pasta. It's nice and smelly and dogs think they're getting some of your food, which they usually will jump through hoops for. Coat a piece of chicken in parmesan cheese and offer the chicken again. If this doesn't work, then try searing the food lightly in a skillet with a little bit of butter. Searing is the cooking of the very outside skin/flesh at a high heat for a very short period of time. This will make the chicken have more smell to it, as raw foods typically have very little smell - and this is what most often turns a dog off when introducing raw foods. They are so used to the over-scented, artificially flavored kibble that raw food seems foreign to their senses at first.
If this still doesn't entice your dog to eat, simply put the food up. I know - I know. That sounds horrible. But a dog will not starve itself, and if he doesn't eat it the first time, simply refrigerate the food and let him miss a meal. It won't hurt and will make him even hungrier at the next meal, and more willing to try something new.
Whatever type of food you choose to start with (whole pieces or pre-ground), be persistent, be consistent, and be willing to be patient. If you start with whole pieces and your dog simply won't go for it, try ground food next. Don't give in to the urge to sneak a few pieces of kibble in there. Some dogs need "reconditioned" to get away from the addictive, crunchy junk food they've lived on for years.
This is also a good place to encourage you to add some digestive enzymes and probiotics to your dogs' diet while switching. The enzymes/probiotics will help give your dogs' digestive system a nice little "kickstart" in helping it learn to digest REAL food. It is highly possible that your dog may experience some digestive upset at first - this is not unusual, so if your dog has diarrhea, loose stools or vomits up small pieces of bone, don't be alarmed. His digestive system hasn't had to work normally in years and needs a little help getting up to speed, so to speak.
I also keep the following on hand for various forms of digestive upset:
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Slippery elm herb - this is good for soothing the digestive tract and slowing diarrhea. Two capsules twice a day for 2-3 days during periods of loose stools or diarrhea. |
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Ginger - good for upset stomach. May be used with food to prevent vomiting. Also works for car sickness. |
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Canned pumpkin - for diarrhea or constipation. Pumpkin is one of those miracle foods that will work for both. Be sure to get PLAIN canned pumpkin. Not pumpkin pie filling. You need the stuff with no sugars, fillers, etc. |
Once your dog has gotten used to eating raw chicken and is digesting it well, with no loose stools or vomiting, it's safe to move on to another protein source. I typically try beef next. Usually, within a week, you can tell if your dog is "up to speed" with eating chicken. Beef can be purchased at the grocery store in the form of ground beef, steaks or roasts, or any other cut you prefer. You're not going to find much in the way of consumable bones in a grocery or butcher shop... so trying beef should only take a couple days. Your dog NEEDS the bone, so be sure they can handle the beef and move on. Turkey, lamb, rabbit, buffalo, quail, duck, venison, goat... these are all appropriate foods to try over time.
My biggest piece of advice, and one of my biggest pet peeves, is to stay away from the pre-ground mixes that have "everything but the kitchen sink" in them when starting a dog on raw. Some of these commercial raw foods have meat from more than one protein source, supplements, exotic fruits and vegetables, and really cool sounding stuff in them. The only problem with the "everything but the kitchen sink" approach is that *IF* your dog reacts badly with digestive problems, you have NO way of knowing what ingredient might be causing the digestive upset. And therefore, you have no idea what needs to be eliminated from the diet. If you can't figure out what it is your dog doesn't tolerate well, then you're setting the dog up for a roller coaster ride of uncomfortable digestive upset.
Sue Johnson said it best in her book, "Switching to Raw"... use the KISS method... Keep It Simple, Stupid! (Not meant to be insulting... just meant as a caution that we tend to get overly excited when starting something new, and throw too much at our poor dogs at once!)
Once you have a dog who is an experienced raw dog, who you KNOW has no issues with the various ingredients in the "everything but the kitchen sink" mixes, then by all means, give them a try if you think your dog might like them. But until then, think about how *you* would feel if someone took the ingredients from all three of your daily meals, threw them in a blender, and then asked you to eat that mix. I don't know about you, but I think I'd be spending more than my fair share of time in the bathroom!
Basically, a puppy may tolerate the change to raw more easily than a lot of adult dogs, simply because their digestive system is younger, and less conditioned to the digestive process needed for kibble. I have had great success switching puppies at a young age without so much as a hiccup in their digestive abilities.
That said, you can do it in a very similar fashion to how you switch an adult. Depending on the age of your pup (right after weaning, vs. an older pup that has been eating kibble for awhile), you may want to start with ground chicken or turkey first. A young pup (the 4-6 week range) won't have teeth hard enough to chew through bones yet, so ground is a necessity. Be sure you're using ground meat WITH bone - pups need the calcium, and the balance between the phosphorous levels in the meat vs. the calcium in the bone.
Pups at this very young age aren't terribly picky about what they eat - they're so hungry all the time that any food you give them will be gone quickly! So it's the perfect time to try raw foods. They'll devour it quickly and happily. At this young age, it's best to skip the veggies and organ meats and stick to just meat and bone. The pups will do far better with simple foods right now, and organs will be far too rich for their developing systems. Offer small amounts at a time and don't let them gorge. Feeding too much will and can cause diarrhea in a dog of any age.
By the age of 8 weeks, puppies should be able to handle the bones of chicken wings, necks and backs without too much trouble. Oh, they'll spend some time chewing and working at the backs, but it's good exercise for them and teaches then to chew well - a good lesson for them to learn early. At this age, it's also safe to add another protein source - again, staying away from organ meats and veggies if possible. Remember the KISS method described for feeding adult dogs - this applies even more for puppies. One ingredient at a time...
Puppies will also benefit from certain supplements, eggs, and even green tripe. I'm sure to slowly add them all, over time, and make them regular additions to their meals.
Once your dog has accepted raw food and is eating a good meal, you'll need to know exactly how much food to feed. The general rule of thumb is to feed approximately 2-3% of your dog's body weight per day. So if your dog weighs 100 pounds, you'll be feeding between 2-3 pounds of food per day, preferably split up into two meals. If your dog is heavy... you should use the lower end of this scale - the 2% range. If your dog is at a good weight, try 2.5%. If your dog is slightly underweight, try 3%. The best measuring stick to gauge whether your dog is overweight or underweight is your very own eyes and hands. Look at your dog closely. Can you see his last two ribs? Can you easily feel his ribs under his coat when you run your hands down his side? If you can't see those last two ribs or feel them, then he's probably overweight. If you can see hip bones, spine or all his ribs, then he's probably underweight.
More simply put... if you're using the 2% range, take your dog's actual weight and multiply it by .02 - this will give you a weight in pounds.
Puppies are a different issue and need to be fed more as they work through heavy growth periods. The general rule of thumb for puppies is to feed approximately 10% of their current body weight... OR... 2-3% of what their adult weight should be. In all actuality, these two formulas work out to pretty much the same weights. I use the 10% rule, feeding three meals per day until the 6 month age range, or until a puppy stops wanting to eat that noon time meal. Many pups will tell you when it's time to drop the mid-day meal as they'll be far more interested in playing than eating... if they skip the noon meal for a couple of days at a time, at around the 5-7 month range, then you know it's probably okay to go back down to 2 meals per day and just divide the food evenly into those two meals.
Typically, by the age of 9 months, you could be down to using the 2-3% of their current weight. That will depend on the lifestyle and energy level of your pup, it's growth rate, and just how hungry they are. My experience with giant breed dogs is that you typically need to keep them over 3% until they're close to a year. Just do what works best for your breed. And remember, the goal in feeding raw to a puppy is slow, even growth. Your raw-fed pup WILL, most likely, be smaller than it's kibble fed siblings for quite some time. It will mature more slowly. What we've come to find is that while a pup's kibble-fed siblings may already be out in the show ring and successful at 6 months of age, a raw-fed pup will develop more slowly and may not "come together" until a later age. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as slower growth may help your pup have a longer, healthier lifespan with less chance of the bone or joint issues often seen during puppyhood (panosteitis in particular).
Supplements may vary, depending on the breed of dog you have, it's age, and it's health needs.
One of the essentials when switching a dog from kibble to raw may be a digestive enzyme/probiotic. Dogs can and may experience some digestive upset when switching. Digestive enzymes will give his gut a kick-start and help him more easily digest the raw meat and bones. This is one supplement to be careful NOT to over use. Too much may also cause digestive upset... so use with moderation. Dogs can be weaned off enzymes when you feel they are handling the raw diet well.
The supplements I use most regularly are: Vitamin C, Vitamin E plus Selenium, and Fish/Salmon Oil.
Vitamin C: Having a giant breed, it is essential, especially in growing puppies, to supplement with Vitamin C. Giant breeds, more than any other, tend not to produce enough Vitamin C for their bodies. Starting with 500mg per day, it is recommended to increase the dose by 500mg on a weekly basis until you reach 2000mg or bowel tolerance (more Vitamin C than the body needs will cause soft stools, in essence, "bowel tolerance"). Vitamin C is known as an immune system booster. But it can also be used as a mild pain reliever at high, therapeutic doses. It's also great to correct dogs who are down in their pasterns. I've actually seen a dog who looked as if she was on skis (bent forward at the pasterns very badly) have this condition turn around simply by switching her to raw food and supplementing her with high doses of Vitamin C. Even as adults, I give Vitamin C occasionally.
Vitamin E plus Selenium: Another good immune system supplement. Our own environment (the soil, etc.) is so depleted of the mineral, Selenium, that Vitamin E may have a difficult time being used by the body without the addition of some Selenium. Vit. E is good for coat, nails and heart.
Fish/Salmon Oil: Another essential. Many who switch to raw use a large amount of poultry as the base of their raw diet. There's nothing wrong with this, but poultry in particular contains an unbalanced amount of Omega 3 fatty acids compared to Omega 6 fatty acids. These to EFA's need to be relatively balanced in a dogs' diet, so it is necessary to supplement with Fish/Salmon oil to provide that balance. Many may recommend Flax Seed Oil or other plant based oils, and while they may help, they are not as bioavailable (the nutrients aren't as usable) as fish based oils. Plus, some dogs have problems with Flax Seed Oil, and may experience itching. The recommended dosage is 1000mg per 10 lbs. of body weight per day - which, to me, seems really high. I use more along the lines of half that.
Regardless of what supplements you choose to use for your dog, start out slowly. One at a time, even. This way, if your dog has issues with one, you will know which to eliminate should problems arise. Supplementation need not be expensive or time consuming. It is fine to pick and choose which supplements you feel are good for your dog, or necessary to make up a missing element of his diet. Just do your research and find which ones fit the needs of your dog.
This is another area of contention among the different styles of raw feeders. Those who feed the "whole prey" or "Frankinprey" methods don't believe in giving any vegetables at all. The Billinghurst BARF method recommends a relatively large portion of pulverized veggies on a daily basis. And then there are a whole host of "in-between" methods.
Whichever method you're comfortable with, if you are going to feed veggies, be sure that they are ground as dogs cannot digest whole vegetables well. I have a friend who learned that the hard way when she gave her dog a whole carrot to chew on. The dog inhaled the carrot without much chewing, and then spent 2 weeks being constipated and partially impacted - uncomfortable and somewhat ill.
Dogs do not naturally produce the enzyme needed to break down the cell walls of whole vegetables. Pulverizing or grinding them breaks down the cellulose and allows a dog's natural stomach acid to do the rest of the work. Look for green, leafy vegetables as the main base for your ground vegetables. Things such as romaine, broccoli, swiss chard and other dark green veggies are best. Just remember that the lighter green, the less nutritional value! Green beans are known to work well for dogs who need to lose a few pounds. They have a palatable taste, and don't add much in the way of extra calories. My favorites for veggie mixes are romaine, zucchini, green beans and blueberries.
Fruit is okay... just not much. Be sure to know your dog - if he/she has issues with itchy skin or yeasty ears, stay away from all root vegetables (think crabs here - potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc. Anything grown underground is high on the glycemic index and can exacerbate yeast issues because it will produce excess sugar when digested) and fruits.
Lastly, there's everyone's olfactory favorite - green tripe. Now, once you get past the smell, green tripe is a fantastic food for dogs. Although it might smell like a barnyard to us, it smells like heaven to your dog, and contains lots of great enzymes that are beneficial to your dog. Don't know what green tripe is? Well, to put bluntly, it's the 4th stomach of a ruminant (cow, bison, goat, etc.). Yes, that's right. We feed cow stomach! And although that is intensely gross to some people, realize that nutritionally speaking, it has been called a "complete food" and has been used for decades by old-time raw feeders as a primary source of enzymes and minerals. Many European breeders rely on meals of tripe and porridge, and have for centuries. It is highly recommended for the "picky dog" who just refuses meals. Very few dogs dislike tripe.
Tripe comes in many forms, but it's not likely something you'll find at your local butcher shop. Most often, it is something that will need to be mail ordered from one of the commercial raw food companies simply because tripe is not allowed to be processed in USDA inspected slaughterhouses. When you do find some, it will be clearly marked on the package "Not For Human Consumption". And for perspective - it is called GREEN TRIPE because it "IS". If you find the white, bleached stuff in your local grocery store, don't waste your money. Once it's been bleached, it is of little nutritional value because all those good enzymes have been destroyed and/or cleaned out.
On to becoming a green tripe connoisseur... not all tripe is made alike. In my experience, the best value for your money is going to be tripe from grass-fed or free-range sources. Tripe from a feedlot (grain-fed) cow smells to high heaven and is more gray than green. My dogs will often not finish a tripe meal on the off chance I get some from cows that were grain fed. Give them some real green tripe from a free-range cow and they'll clean their dishes and look for more. Again, this is another case where you get what you pay for. And quality CAN make a difference!
What vegetables should you NOT feed?
Onions. Spinach. Peppers, red or green. These vegetables in particular can cause health problems in your dogs. Peas, garlic, and avocadoes are ones to feed in small amounts or "in moderation".
Nuts are another hot topic. Pits and seeds tend to be toxic to dogs, so be wary of feeding these. Macadamia nuts can cause paralysis if too many are ingested. The paralysis is usually temporary, but scary just the same.
Remember that term... "in moderation". It is an important aspect of this diet!
Check local butcher shops for pieces and parts. Poultry will probably be the most readily available. But you may occasionally find rabbit, pork neck bones, ground buffalo, ground pork, etc. These will probably all be packaged for human consumption, but they're just as edible for your dogs!!
Join some lists on Yahoo. Besides the very large and very rigid CarnivoreFeed-Supplier list, there are many, many regional lists to join. If you live in Ohio, Indiana or Michigan, feel free to join the OHINMIRawDogs list.
There are also a whole host of commercial raw dog food companies now, who produce a wide variety of frozen, pre-ground foods, dehydrated foods, and bulk pieces and parts. Just be wary of local, "fly-by-night" manufacturers or co-ops. Be sure that they're using and selling good quality meats, not the 4D meats you should be trying to get away from (as used in kibble) by feeding raw. National brands include, but are not limited to: Bravo Raw Diet, Steve's Real Food, Aunt Jeni's Homemade, Oma's Pride, and many, many more. Most can be found on the internet.
One thing to keep in mind. You'll run across quite a few people who are more concerned about finding the cheapest sources possible when looking for food. While it's great to be able to find a good deal now and then, keep in mind that... same as kibble... you get what you pay for. The cheapest sources may not always be the best quality foods.
For example: I can get a case of chicken necks from my local butcher shop for just $.39 per pound (or $15.60 per case). But these necks are small, covered in huge pieces of skin and fat, and by the time I pull all that fat off and throw it away, I'm left with about 20# of usable food from the 40 pounds I paid for. BUT... I can get large, skinless, free-range chicken necks from a supplier in Michigan for $.70 per pound (or $28 per case) - with absolutely NO waste. So, even though I'm paying more per pound and per case for the Michigan chicken, I'm actually SAVING money because I can use the whole 40# of food!
It's fine to shop around... but don't always expect the best from cheap or free stuff. You really DO GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
It's a matter of personal choice... do you want the best food you can afford? Or do you want the cheapest? Some people will try to tell you that feeding raw is way more expensive than feeding kibble. Well, sure it is... if you're feeding grocery store brands or less than premium. And in truth, comparing monthly food bills for kibble vs. raw is like comparing apples and oranges. Kibble, you're probably measuring by the cupful. Raw, you're measuring by weight.
They just don't compare easily.
In truth, raw is as cheap or as expensive as you make it out to be... with the caveat that some areas of the US are more expensive than others. It all goes back to "you get what you pay for". If you're looking for the highest quality foods, without the use of pesticides, herbicides, etc., then look for free-range or organic meats. If you can afford to feed them, even in small quantities, you'll know that your pets are getting more nutrition than from factory farmed, feed lot, grain fed meats.
And while the temptation is there to feed wild-caught meats, be careful to watch for parasites. Rabbits are notorious for carrying intestinal parasites, so if you have an avid hunter in your family, make sure all meats are processed for human consumption before giving them to your dogs. It'll save you a trip to the vets office!